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About Surat

Parsis first settled in Surat as early as the 12th century. In 1573, Surat fell to the Mughal emperor Akhbar after a prolonged siege. It then became an important Mughal trading port and also the point of departure for Muslim pilgrims seeking to visit Mecca. Surat’s fortunes transformed the city. In 1612, the British arrived, followed by the Dutch in 1616. This represented the East India Company’s first foothold in India. Surat might eventually have gone on to achieve the outstanding fortunes reserved for Bombay. However, fire and floods destroyed the town in 1837, forcing the town’s Jain and Parsi merchants south to Bombay.

Today, it remains an important textile-manufacturing centre. More than 90% of the world’s diamonds are also processed and finished here, a legacy of the Old Dutch trade links. As such, Surat is known as the ‘Diamond capital of the world.

Surat’s two main attractions are the views of the many colonial buildings from the castle built in 1546 by the Sultan of Gujarat and the weed-choked English cemetery which contain the remains of colonial dignitaries including Francis Breton, at the time of his death in 1649 the East India Company’s most senior representative in India.

Life can be unpredictable and we understand that sometimes it’s necessary to change or delay your travel plans. With our LIFETIME DEPOSIT guarantee, you can book our Signature tours safe in the knowledge that if you’re unable to travel, your deposit is fully transferable and will be held for an unlimited time.

On this range you won’t be joining other travellers, but will be on your own private itinerary. Accommodation, pace of travel and the style of trip is tailored to your individual needs. From pre-priced packages available off the shelf to fully curated tailor-made holidays, this range also includes our selection of one-night stopovers, day-tours and short breaks.

The OTG Independent range gives you all the great service aspects of our Signature range with the flexibility to create a truly unique and bespoke holiday or adventure to a variety of destinations around the world.